Finger board



Tifil.

May 12, 1931. L. R. THORPE 1,804,962

FINGER BOARD 7 Filed July 22. 1929 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Y/ Ill/l 4557752KAY 77102;:

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Patented Ma 12,1931

, .LES'IER RAYmHoRPE, OFJEASTV BAKERSFIEL a aem a] FINGER BOARDApplication filed. July 22,

My'invention relates to whatv is known in the art of well drilling andpumping as finger boards, or devices for supporting within a derrickpipe or tubing as-it is broken up and its sections stacked in verticalposition in the derrick so as to hem convenient position for use nreconnecting them into a string to be let down into the hole.

It is-a purpose of my invention to provide w a finger board, which ischaracterized by its ability to support in vertical stacked positionwithin a derrick as many sections of pipe or tubing as is necessary inthe drillingor pumping of relatively deep wells and to hold the sectionswith such security as to prevent them falling fromstack ed position, andyet permitting single removal of the sections for use inthe hole.

I will describe only one form of finger board embodying my invention,and will then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

In the accompanying drawings: Fig. 1 is a view showing in horizontalplan section a conventional form of derrick haviv ing applied theretoone form of finger board embodying my invention with pipe sections inapplied position thereon. I Fig. 2 is afver'tical sectional view takenon the line 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view take onthe line 3-3of Fig. 2. I

In carrying out my invention, I provide a supporting member 15 in theform of a channel beam which spans and is secured to the vertical cornerposts 16 of a conventional form of derrick, the floor of the derrickbeing indicated at 17 As shown, the. beam 15 is secured in horizontalelevated position above the derrick floor, and with the parallel webs ofthe beam extended outwardly from the derrick, as best illustrated inFig. 2. The vertical web of the beam ;-is provided at spaced intervalsalong itsv length wit-h hori-. Zontally disposed slots 18 in each ofwhich a 145 finger board 19 in the form of a flat bar is slidablyreceived so as to be supported horizontally and in spaced parallelrelation to an adjacent finger board 19. g

Each fingerboard is provided at spaced 0 intervals along its length withvertical openpo'sition thereto.

1929. Serial 380.044.. 1

ings 20 in which pins 21 and22 are adapted to be received. The pin 21 isemployed .to limit the sliding movement-of the finger boardin- V wardlythrough the beam 15, the pin-abutting theupper parallel web of the beamasillustrated in Fig. 2. Should'the pin be removed, displacementinwardly of the finger board from the beam is prevented by a terminalextension 23. The pin 22 is at all times dis,- posed within theinnermost opening 20 in order to confine brackets against displacementfrom the finger board. ii

Each finger board is adapted to receive I and support a plurality ofsuch brackets, each bracket being indicated generally at B,- and .1 asshown, comprisinga sleeve 24 slidable on the finger board,

when the bracket is. in applied This-arm 25 is curved to, conform to thecontour of the drill pipe, or

finger board when it isdesired to supportsucker rods,the construction ofthearm may be changed to accommodate them.' As illustrated, "thebrackets on any one finger board are arrangedone in advance of the otherbetween the inermost pin 22am the'beam 15, and so that allot the armsare disposed at one and the-same side of the finger board, so as tosup-,

port at that side of'the finger board a pluralif .tyof pipe or tubingsections. 7 Inpractice, as many brackets as there are tubing or 3 pipesections to, be supported on bar so that the sections areinested withinthe arms 25 in the manner illustrated in Figs.

1 and 2.1 As shown in Fig. 2, the pipe or tub ingsections indicatedvat26 are slightly inclined when in stacked position against the bracketsand consequently they exert a force inwardly along the finger boardwhich tends to-slide the board inwardlyuntil thepin 21 abutsrthebeam'15. Thuswithv the sections :stackedas described, the arms 25 aremoved to abutting relation to an adj acent section so and an arm '25fixed to the sleeve so as to extend from one edge ofthe anyone fingerbar are vappliedto the finger s51 that the sections and arms occupy theposi-, V

tions as best illustrated. in- Fig. ljlVhere it is desired to support aminimumnumber of pipe. sectionsupon any one finger board and so as tohold thepipe sections-adjacent the I beam '15 in an out of the wayposition, the efiective length of the finger board may be shortened byreadjustment of the pin 21 in the openings so as to limit the inwardsliding movement of the finger board under the weight of the pipesection. For exampleflf only three brackets B are applied to a fingerboard for supporting three sections of pipe, the pin 21 will be extendedthrough that opening 20 second from the opening in which it appears inFig. 1, thus restricting the effective length of the finger board toaccommodate the three brackets for holding the three pipe sections. 7 I

To remove pipe sections form the finger boards it is only necessary toremove the inner pins 22 when the pipe sections may be removed'togetherwith the brackets. i

Although I have herein shown and described only one form of finger boardembodying my invention, it is to be understood that various changes andmodifications may be made herein withou'tdeparting from the spirit ofthe invention and the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

1. In combination, a derrick, a support thereon, a finger boardslida'bly mounted thereommeans' for securing the finger boardagainst'movement in one direction, brackets on the finger boardextending laterally therefrom'for supporting pipes in inclined position,said brackets being slidable on the finger board, and means for securingthe brackets against displacement from the finger board.

2. In a; derrick, a support, a plurality of finger boards slidable onthesupport, pipe engaging'brackets mounted on the finger boards forsliding movement and to receive pipes therein, means for limitingsliding movement of the finger-boards in the support under the action ofthe pipes when in the brackets, and

meansfor limiting sliding movement of the I brackets on the fingerboards under'the action of the pipes.

3. In a derrick, a support havinga slot therein, a finger board slidablein the slot of the support, a pin in the finger board at one I side ofthe support for limiting sliding move ment of the finger board in onedirection, a plurality of brackets-'slidable on the' finger board at the"oppositeside from that of the pin, said brackets having meansforholding pipes in vertical position, and a second pin in the fingerboard for confining the brackets on the finger boards.

4. A device of the character described comprising a support, a fingerboard slidable on the support, means for limiting sliding movement ofthe finger board in one direction on the support, a plurality of pipeholding brackets slidable on the finger board, and

means for confining the brackets against displacement from the fingerboard. I

5. A device of the character described comprising a support, a fingerboard slidable in the support and provided at intervals With openings, apin extendable through any one of the openings for limiting slidingmovement of the finger board in the support in one direction, aplurality of pipe holding brackets slidable on the finger board, and asecond pin engaging the outermost bracket for confining all of thebrackets against displacement from the finger boards.

6. In a derrick, a support thereon provided at intervals with slots,finger boards slidable in the slots and having adjustable means forlimiting sliding movement of the finger boards therein inonedirection,pipe supporting brackets on the finger boards, and means for confiningthe brackets against displacement from the finger boards.

7. In combination, a supportadapted for attachment to a derrick, and afinger board on the support having brackets thereon against each ofwhich a pipe in inclined position is adapted to be placed and held, thebrackets being mounted on the finger board to move in response toplacing of pipes thereagainst to cause the brackets to occupy a stackedarrangement on the finger board and the pipes a correspondingarrangement.

8'. A combinationas embodied in claim 7 wherein the means is provided onthe finger board for permitting the brackets to be removed and replacedtoand from the finger board so as to leave on the latter bracketscorresponding in number to the pipes to besupported by the finger board.

LESTER RAY THORPE.

